Cladding systems for building structures using composite building panels are an attractive alternative to conventional sheeting methods such as bricking because such cladding systems have improved thermal insulation characteristics and are very easy to erect.
Commercially available cladding systems are constituted by a set of building panels glued or attached with fasteners to the building structure. The panels are flat and comprise a rigid backing layer made of wood, a facial layer formed by brick or stone slices to give the appearance of a brick or stone wall, and an insulation layer between the facial and backing layers which also acts as a bonding medium retaining the constituent elements of the panel together. The panel is manufactured by a molding technique where the facing and backing layers are maintained in a spaced apart relationship in a special fixture, and plastic material in fluid state is injected therebetween, forming the insulation/bonding layer.
This type of building panels are particularly advantageous and easy to use for covering flat walls. However, a problem arises when the panels must be joined at a corner of the building structure. The technique employed in this case is to create a miter joint where each panel is beveled at 45.degree. and adjacent panels are bonded by means of an adhesive. This technique is not satisfactory because often the joint is aesthetically unacceptable and partially defeats the purpose of the cladding system where it is desired to imitate as close as possible the appearance of conventional brick or stone walls. In addition, the joint at the corner may fail due to deterioration of the adhesive material as a result of exposure to the elements, which will allow water to infiltrate the building structure causing substantial damage.